War Relief Updates - August 28, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. The camp season has turned out to be very fruitful for the Skripniks, our missionary family in the city of Borschiv in Ternopil region. Besides their own church camp, they have conducted 3 camps in various villages in the area. God blessed abundantly. These camps gave Sergei and Vika the opportunity to share the Gospel with over 200 unchurched kids from mainly Catholic communities. Many of those kids come from families in which the fathers have died in the war, are missing in action, or are currently away serving. Some of the kids came to the camp venue early in the morning—even though the camp wouldn’t start until 10—because they said they couldn’t wait to hear interesting stories from the Bible.

2. In September, we are planning to bring one of our Ukrainian missionaries (Pasha Usach) to the United States in order to help with loading our next container and to speak in various churches to update congregations on our war-relief efforts. Meetings have been scheduled, and his airline tickets have been bought. However, just this week a situation arose for which we need your prayers. Mysteriously, Pasha has appeared on the Ukrainian government’s ROZSHUK list. Basically ROZSHUK means “Wanted.”

This is the method the military conscription office uses to find people more effectively and compel them to come to the conscription office instead of them searching for the people themselves. Before the war, this system was working manually, and everything was fine because the number of such people was insignificant. When the war began, the pool of people in the system increased to several million, and the government introduced digitalization and automation to it. This means that an imperfect AI-model now manages the statuses of all military-aged men in the country. As you can imagine, glitches are bound to occur. That’s one reason why individuals can appear on the Wanted List even when their paperwork and status are okay. Pasha, for example, should not be on the list because he has 4 small children. In Ukraine, having 3 or more small children exempts a parent from military service.

When you are on this Wanted List, you cannot cross the border. If you try, the border officers will immediately deliver you into the custody of conscription officers, who likewise man the borders. Also, if a wanted person gets stopped by the police for an ID check, they will see this in their database. The police will then detain such a person and contact conscription officers. If you are on this list in error, as in Pasha’s case, you can get off of it by hiring a lawyer who is able to do this through legal means. Of course, this involves expenses, which are normally between $300-$500 dollars. Because we have started this process for Pasha, we need your prayers that he can successfully be removed from the ROZSHUK.

3. Recently, we shared a praise that the container bound for Desna, Ukraine, finally arrived. In this week’s video our coworker, Andrii Sovenko, together with several other pastors, pass along their heartfelt thanks for the war-relief aid on the container. It is a joy to hear that these goods are now serving those in need. Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/received

4. As you may have noticed in news reports, Russia has increased their missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, especially on Kyiv. While Ukraine can knock down most of the drones and cruise missiles, they cannot knock down incoming ballistic missiles because defense units have run out of the interceptors that are launched from Patriot defense systems. Such attacks are are causing considerable damage, injuries, and loss of life. Since Russia is increasing its attacks, let’s increase our prayers for Ukraine, especially petitioning God to protect our people and churches. Our office has an excellent supply of attractive prayer reminders in both prayer card and bookmark form. You can contact our office to receive some, and we will be glad to send them to you free of charge.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 21, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. Last week we mentioned a need Vitaly Bilyak had concerning upgrading his cell phone and some unexpected travel expenses to get to the United States. Within hours of sending out our updates, two different friends of BIEM called and met most of that need. Praise God!

2. Our partner church Dobra Novyna (“Good News”) in the city of Sumy has started a new kind of war relief for the people of their city. The church is offering workshops on Critical Incident Stress Management. This topic is very timely as more and more Russian glide bombs and drones wreak death, destruction, anxiety, and disorders among city residents. 

In these workshops the believers explain that God created all of us with a body, soul, and spirit, and that crisis situations affect all three parts of us. Proceeding from that understanding, they emphasize that, in addition to caring for the body and the mind, one should also care for his/her soul, which God is ready to help with. Of course, such a spiritual perspective provides opportunities to refer to Scripture and God’s way of salvation. In this way, listeners learn about taking care of their bodies and minds but also hear about the importance of their soul’s need.

3. Many of you will remember the video we sent out, thanking contributors for the “Warm Clothing for Soldiers” project last winter. This is the video where the General of the military base in Desna, Ukraine, expresses his gratitude. Also in that video, we introduced Sasha Kapchuk’s nephew, who had just been conscripted and was being sent to the warfront and was asking for people to pray for him. We are rejoicing that God has answered those prayers as you can see from this week’s video, which provides an update:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/answered

4. Our War Relief fund could use some help. When the war began, we were blessed with an amazing amount of gifts designated for war relief. As was expected, this giving did slow down and has diminished steadily. Now that the war is in its 5th year, donations for war relief have slowed to a trickle. However, needs for war relief in all the forms we provide still remain. We hope that mentioning this situation will generate more gifts for war relief, which in turn also spur opportunities for evangelism. Please pray with us about this continuing need.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 14, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. Praise God! Vitaly Bilyak was able to get all necessary documents and was able to successfully cross the Ukrainian border and get to the Polish airport for a flight to the USA. This was not without problems. Getting from the Ukrainian border to the airport in Poland involved a long train ride, then buses the rest of the way to the airport. Because the buses were running late, Vitaly ended up having to hire a taxi for $250 to get himself to the airport in time. Nevertheless, he has made it to his destination for which we thank God. He did share a need for which we would like to request your prayers. He asks, “Could the mission buy me a new iPhone? My iPhone is already very tired. The battery is not holding up well. And my entire ministry is tied to the phone.”

2. This week BIEM’s war-relief program has been especially blessed. Earlier, a retired pastor and his wife had contacted us from Wisconsin. They wondered if they could drive to Indiana and spend several days sorting, folding, and packing donated clothing for our next container shipment to Ukraine. Of course, we said Yes! So, they have been with us for three days, and they are just now sorting and boxing the last of the unprocessed clothing donations currently on hand. This is a tremendous blessing! We thank and praise the Lord for our volunteers!

3. In Lviv, Ukraine, Yura and Violetta Levtseniuk testify that the warm winter clothing BIEM supplied for frontline soldiers continues to spark gratitude reaps spiritual results among soldiers who received them. Here’s the story of one soldier who found his way to the church and from there found his way to the Lord. Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/moreresults

4. Our War Relief Fund sponsored several trips that Sofia Buyko took to Denmark to share the Gospel and distribute aid among the many Ukrainian women refugees who have settled there. On each trip, she would take one or two of her daughters (Angelica, Solomia & Ivanko) with her. After Angelica was engaged to a young Ukrainian Christian man in Germany (he grew up in the same church as Angelica), it became apparent that—due to issues related to obtaining a legal marriage certificate since the groom was not a citizen of Germany and could not return to Ukraine—it was determined that a wedding in Denmark would satisfy legal requirements for registering the marriage. Because Sophia had established relationships with a considerable number of Ukrainian women in Denmark through war relief distribution, these local ladies rendered valuable assistance in organizing the wedding. When Sam and Amy attended the wedding last Saturday, some of those refugees who have received aid from BIEM blessed them personally with words of thanks.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 7, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. Sam & Amy Slobodian are now in Ukraine and wish to thank you for your prayers. Their border crossing into Ukraine went smoothly, and they are thankful for God’s protection, especially since they spent the first few days of their trip in Kyiv, which continues to be heavily bombed. About 2:30 a.m. last Saturday, they were shaken awake when Russian missiles exploded in the vicinity and shook the building they were in. When dawn broke, they easily saw smoke billowing from the two locations where the missiles had struck. The Slobodians are now in Lviv, which is considered much safer than Kyiv, though nowhere in Ukraine is considered totally safe. They report that summer camps are going great with higher-than-expected attendance. In Lviv, where many campers are from unchurched homes, several parents forbade their kids from attending. However, because this camp was being conducted on church property the entire neighborhood could see and hear all the fun. The doubtful parents relented, and these children happily joined the other campers.

2. In Bucha, Ukraine, our missionaries the Anokhins regularly visit a military mental health hospital. After a recent visit, a veteran named Bohdan came to their church and shared how his faith in God sustained him when he was wounded and taken as prisoner of war. Another man, Yevhen, had known nothing about Christ but listened intently and placed his faith in the Lord!

3. For years, the members of Awakening Baptist Church in the Obolon district of Kyiv have worshipped in the basement while they slowly continue construction upstairs. But now they have a wonderful problem—too many people to fit in that basement! Just like the church in Desna that we wrote about two weeks ago, the Obolon church is experiencing growth due to their war-relief outreaches, which BIEM is making possible. By God’s grace and through your financial gifts, BIEM has invested heavily in this church-construction project and will continue to do so. In this week’s video, Pastor Nikolai Rozhnyatovsky shares about the church, their construction project, and their dreams for the future... Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/completion

4. This weekend BIEM Ukrainian missionary Pavel Usach will be leading a team of volunteers who are traveling to Vysokopillia, which is on the edge of the warfront. They will be distributing war relief aid and sharing the Gospel together with the local church there. Please pray for their safety on this dangerous venture and for souls to respond to the Gospel as it is preached.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

BIEMs of Light: August 2026

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• As explained before, Vitaly Bilyak had requested permission to leave his military post in Ukraine to attend his son’s wedding in Washington state, USA. Hallelujah, the U.S. renewed his visa! Vitaly still must obtain Ukrainian documents allowing him to exit Ukraine temporarily, so this is still a matter for prayer.

• We praise God for the many friends who continue to donate good, useable clothing and shoes for refugees in Ukraine. A recent example was a couple who visited BIEM with their car stuffed with wonderful clothing. A relative had passed away, and they wanted to bless women in Ukraine. Thank you all!

• In Bucha, Ukraine, our missionaries the Anokhins regularly visit a military mental health hospital. After a recent visit, a veteran named Bohdan came to their church and shared how his faith in God sustained him when he was wounded and taken as prisoner of war. Another man, Yevhen, knew nothing about Christ but listened intently and placed his faith in the Lord!

• In May we requested prayer for Mark, the husband of BIEM’s receptionist Patty. Fast forward: he had a 5th surgery on July 15 to insert another medicated knee spacer and to address the wound inside his knee. Praise God, the surgeons did not find any staph infection (which he had prior)! However, he has a different type of infection, which they are treating with an oral antibiotic. Patty says, “We are now waiting for this wound to heal. Once that is completely healed, they can move forward with placing new components into the knee (surgery #6!). This has been a very long process, but God is good! Please continue to pray as this ordeal has been physically taxing and at times discouraging.”

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Sam and Amy Slobodian are currently in Ukraine. They will be working in children’s camps, surveying various BIEM projects— including our war-relief efforts—and visiting our BIEM missionaries. Because Russia has not scaled back their missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, please pray for safety, for God’s blessings on the camps, and that they will be an encouragement to our Ukrainian coworkers and friends.

• By God’s grace and with your help, we reached all of the $77,000 goal for funding summer camps. So, although no more funds for summer camps are currently needed, we do still request your prayers for all those young souls who will be attending camps this month.

• The Eugene Buyko family are experiencing a double need. First, their personal vehicle broke down during an evangelism trip to the warfront. The cost of towing and repairs came to nearly $2,000. On top of that, their daughter Angelica is getting married in Denmark in August, so that is another expense. Please pray.

• We previously requested prayer for the Yura and Violetta Levtseniuk in Lviv, Ukraine. Violetta had been rushed to the hospital for bleeding, and there was danger of her losing her baby. Although she was subsequently allowed to return home, she did lose the baby after all. Please uphold the family in prayer.

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August 2026 Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Monthly video! Every year, there are kids who draw close to the Lord in camps, some unto salvation, while other kids who already know the Lord grow in grace and in knowledge of God’s Word. In this video update for the month of August, a number of English-speaking Ukrainian youth express various reasons why they are thankful for you, dear friends of BIEM, who support the camping ministry.

And here in the home office of BIEM, we are very thankful for you, too. It is by your prayers and financial gifts that this ministry can make an impact for God’s Kingdom. Thank you for caring, sharing, and upholding our projects in prayer!

Here’s the link to the video: https://vimeo.com/user37287229/closer

Blessings to you!

Sam & Amy Slobodian

War Relief Updates - July 31, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. At the time of this writing, Sam and Amy Slobodian have arrived in Poland and are heading toward Ukraine. They will be working in children’s camps, surveying various BIEM projects— including our war-relief efforts—and visiting our BIEM missionaries. Because Russia has not scaled back their missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, please pray for safety, for God’s blessings on the camps, and that they will be an encouragement to our Ukrainian coworkers and friends.

2. Last week we requested prayer for the Levtseniuk family in Lviv, Ukraine. Violetta had been rushed to the hospital for bleeding, and there was danger of her losing her baby. Although she was subsequently allowed to return home, she did lose the baby after all. Here is a message of condolence that we sent to them:

Dear Yura and Violetta,

We were deeply saddened to learn of the loss of your little one. There are no words that can truly ease this pain, but please know that you are in our hearts and prayers during these difficult days.

Your baby was already very loved, and that love doesn't go away—it just changes form. We pray that God will surround you with His comfort, give you strength for each day, and remind you that you are not alone in this journey.

“For you created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb . . . and my bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret.”  —Psalm 139:13, 15

Please lean on God, on us, and on each other during these days. We are here for you, whatever you need.

With love and prayers,

The Slobodian family and everyone at BIEM Mission

3. In the Druzhba district of the city of Ternopil, Ukraine, Sergiy & Karina Koop (along with their two kids) continue all the various outreaches that go into starting and growing a new church. As many will recall, this church was born out of BIEM’s war-relief efforts. While ministering among the 30,000 refugees who settled in their city, Sergiy & Karina felt God’s calling to start a new church to reach them with the Gospel. In this video, Sam Slobodian interprets as Sergiy brings us up to date on their recent activities. Please watch, but also please keep the Koops in your prayers... Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/catchingup

4. In and around the eastern city of Sumy, Ukraine, in recent weeks, Russian attack drones have started targeting gas stations. (Evidently, this is a reaction to the fuel crisis that Ukraine has created all across Russia with its attacks on Russian oil depots and refineries.) To alleviate some of the need, local Ukrainian authorities have been rolling out mobile gas station/refueling units. This news is significant to BIEM because the Baptist church in Sumy is a key partner with BIEM. The pastor and church members depend on their vehicles for evangelistic and humanitarian-aid outreaches among their countrymen. Please uphold these brothers and sister in prayers as they remain in the dangerous eastern zones to perform ministry before the Lord.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - July 24, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. One week ago, we requested that you friends pray for Yura and Violetta Levtseniuks, our church planters in Lviv, Ukraine. Violetta is pregnant and because of some issues with her health, she was already on bedrest. When she began bleeding, Yura rushed her to the hospital, where doctors told him there was a strong possibility she would lose the baby. But—praise God!—Violetta is now back at home and still carrying her baby. The Ukrainian doctors declared this turnaround a miracle. We agree! God’s people prayed, and He worked a miracle!

2. Here’s another answer to your and our prayers...  As explained before, our man Vitaly Bilyak had requested permission to leave his military post in Ukraine to attend the wedding of his son in Washington state, USA. Hallelujah, he just received his USA visa renewal! He still must obtain additional Ukrainian documents allowing him to leave Ukraine temporarily to attend his son’s wedding in the U.S., so please keep praying that he is able to come. However, receiving this renewal was the most challenging hurdle.

3. What does a congregation do when their meeting place maxes out the number who can fit? For the church in Desna, Ukraine, where BIEM’s Sasha Kapshuk pastors, the answer is to create a bigger auditorium upstairs! In this week’s video update, Brother Kapshuk talks about this wonderful problem of having more people wanting to come to church than can actually fit in the building! Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/moreroom

4. This past week, our Director for Central Asia and his wife drove a 30-foot trailer full of boxed and labeled humanitarian aid from Wisconsin to our warehouse in Central Indiana. Especially notable was a large number of boxes of disposable diapers. In Ukraine, these are extremely costly and in great demand since they are especially helpful for the elderly.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - July 17, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1.  On July 16, sixteen people from Calvary Church in Plainfield, Indiana, traveled to BIEM’s warehouse to sort and pack clothing as war relief for Ukraine. We had received a large amount of donations in recent weeks, but this group performed a heroic amount of work in the hours they were with us! Their efforts brought us closer to being able to ship another 40-ft. container to Ukraine.

2.  Our missionary Yura Levtseniuk in Lviv, Ukraine, has sent us an urgent plea to pray for his wife, Violetta, as he had to rush her to a hospital with unexpected bleeding. She is expecting, and this is the second time she has experienced health issues while bearing this child. In recent days, she has been on doctor-prescribed bedrest. Yura just now messaged us to say, “Thank you very much for your interest in our experiences! I’ve just come from Violetta. The situation is not comforting. Most of all, we could lose the baby.” Please pray for the health of both mother and unborn baby. (Yura could use prayer, too, as he manages the other children and oversees the regular ministry of the church plus the ongoing construction project in their church building.)

3.  For over 4 years, while her husband serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Anna K. has helped BIEM to extend its war-relief outreach in a variety of ways. In this week’s video update, Andrei Sovenko interviews Anna about the activities she performs with BIEM's assistance and also provides voiceovers so that you English-speaking friends can get a glimpse of why the recipients of our aid are so grateful! Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/anna

4.  Hallelujah, our $77,000 goal for sponsoring Christian summer camps has been met! Thank you to all of you who have prayed or given to make these camps possible. This is particularly exciting because the organizers of each camp especially seek to invite refugee children who have had to flee their former homes with their parents. With both adults and children, when their previous life has been flipped upside down and wartime developments have threatened their very lives, many are much more receptive to hearing Scripture’s teachings on spiritual topics, including the matter of salvation and everlasting life. May the Lord work in young hearts through these summer camps!

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - July 10, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. In our monthly video for June, we shared about a special day at the Derman camp that our Ukrainians organized for widows and orphans of those killed in the war. Over 200 attended. The event was a huge blessing for participants, and the video blessed viewers. During that event, it became clear that the campground needed a roomy, covered pavilion so that large crowds could gather, even during inclement weather. When Pasha Usach mentioned this need, we shared it with a friend of BIEM, who in turn immediately provided funds to construct a 3,000-square-foot pavilion over a concrete slab. All the labor was done by volunteers from the nearby church. Best of all, this work was completed in time for campers who arrived this week. Praise God!

2. Praise God, the container we shipped on April 6 has finally arrived at the recipient church in Desna, Ukraine. But there was an unusual development. The seal was missing! When it was shipped from our headquarters, the seal was firmly attached. In fact, we took a photo of it. Our folks thought this could be a major problem for Customs. Somehow, though, Customs overlooked what we expected to be a major problem and cleared the contents. Our folks decided not to ask any questions and thanked God for the result. This moment reminded us of several incidents in our Bible-smuggling days, when God blinded the eyes of Customs agents from seeing the Bibles we had in small stacks among our luggage! Thanks be to God that this container’s contents will now be shared and distributed by several churches.

3. The man in this video is a commander of an elite force of drone operators. Because he is the neighbor of one of our missionary families, we were able to meet him and thus learned of his unit’s specific needs. In addition to sharing the Gospel with him, we have been able to respond to some specific needs. For example, we assisted in purchasing a vehicle for transporting men, equipment, and the wounded. Here, he expresses thanks for this assistance, which we provide through our War Relief funds.

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/commander

4. Because Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is a favorite target for Russia’s missiles and drones, BIEM’s personnel are frequently subjected to this terror. In BIEM’s monthly video for July, we shared horrific bombing videos that Vitaly Yurchenko filmed from his home. We offer the link again here for any friends who missed the July video:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/hits

There is still a need for prayers for the protection of all our personnel and for friends of BIEM in that war-torn land. We have prayer cards and bookmarks with suggested prayer requests for Ukraine. If you or your group would like some, we will provide them free upon request.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

July 2026 Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

On July 6, Russia once again bombarded Ukraine with a massive attack of missiles and drones, killing at least 26, injuring scores of others, and destroying homes. Kyiv was especially targeted. Our coworker Vitaly Yurchenko reported about 100 houses were destroyed in the vicinity of his own neighborhood. With his phone, he videoed part of the attack from his home, and we are sharing that footage here. Praise God, he and his family survived, and their home still stands.

Thank you for praying for the safety of BIEM personnel in Ukraine. Please keep praying now more than ever before since Russia has intensified its aerial barrages in Ukraine. We have a good supply of prayer reminders for Ukraine in bookmark and prayer-card form. Please let us know if you would like some for yourself or your group, and we will be glad to send them free of charge.

Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/hits

Blessings to you!

Sam & Amy Slobodian

War Relief Updates - July 2, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. For some time, our pastors, missionaries, and workers have been busy preparing Bible lessons, games, supplies, and equipment for another year of exciting summer camps. Our camps are now in full swing and will continue through August. Even before the war, summer camps were highly valued as excellent tools for ministering to both unsaved and saved youth. During war time, they are even more important because they give youth a break from the realities of the war around them. It is a goal and a blessing that most of our camps include hurting refugee kids whose worlds have been violently flipped upside down. For them, a Christian summer camp is an especially joyous opportunity to learn about our loving Savior while having a lot of fun with other youth through camp activities.

2. The 40-foot container of war relief aid and church planting equipment we shipped to Ukraine in early April arrived at the Polish port. It is now on a railroad car and will soon arrive at a location in Ukraine from where it will be trucked to the receiving church. Please pray that our Ukrainian brethren will be able to clear it through customs without undue difficulties.

3. BIEM often sponsors various teams that make trips to the warfront to share the Gospel while distributing aid. Many times, Sofia Buyko has joined her husband Eugene with a team of volunteers from the Kyiv area. This particular team has made 50 such evangelistic trips. In this video, “Through Sofia’s Eyes,” Sofia shares some thoughts and stories from the times in which she has participated in these trips:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/sofia

4. On Wednesday, July 1, Russian forces launched a large-scale, overnight, missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s capital. The intense attack, which lasted into early Thursday, bombarded civilian apartment buildings and infrastructure that ear-shattering explosions that shook Kyiv for hours. According to news reports, at least 22 individuals died in those attacks, and 85-100 others were injured. When such attacks hit the news, we at BIEM often receive messages asking about the welfare of our coworkers. Praise God, all our missionaries are alive and well. They often express gratitude for those who daily pray for them and their ministries. Your prayers for our dedicated servants are needed and not in vain!

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - June 26, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. One of the most-requested items from Ukrainian soldiers connected with our churches are tourniquets. These are life-saving devices that every soldier should have with him at all times. Unfortunately, the tourniquets available in Ukraine—which are mostly imported from China or Japan—are not reliable. Soldiers are always asking for those made in the USA. Church members often seek to obtain these for their loved ones serving in the war. The most desired is the North American Rescue C-A-T Genuine Gen 7 model, which we have often purchased on Amazon. Now, however, we have located a supplier who has a better price. During the course of the war, we have supplied over 1,000 of these units. Recently, thanks to donations to our War Relief fund, we have just purchased another 100 of these tourniquets.

2. BIEM thanks the Lord for volunteers who donate time and energy to help us out. For instance, just recently a group of ladies from a church in a nearby town came to help examine, fold, and pack donated clothing into boxes categorized as “Men’s,” “Ladies,” “Children’s,” etc., for shipment as humanitarian aid to Ukraine. This ministry is not difficult but is so vital. When churches in Ukraine receive a 40-ft. container of aid, they bless their members with a portion but also distribute goods among unbelievers who have been rendered needy due to the war. Donated clothing opens doors and opens hearts of people who formerly had no interest in church or the Lord! If you might like to be part of a future sorting/packing day, just contact our receptionist Patty at missions@baptistinterational.org.

3. On the evening of June 7, Angelica Buyko (daughter of BIEM’s Director for Ukraine, Eugene Buyko) conducted a choir and a small orchestra in “A Musical Evening,” a public evangelistic concert in Kyiv’s largest independent Baptist Church. This event was in conjunction with an evangelistic outreach sponsored by BIEM. English speakers might not understand the Ukrainian words, but we invite you to listen to a compilation of sample video clips from that evening’s concert. Here’s the link!

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/concert

4. Many of you will remember a previous video about a Ukrainian congregation that meets in a forest, what we call “the forest church.” Their meeting place is a basic, light structure Ukrainians would call a palatka (literally “tent”). Because these believers have reached many for Christ, they outgrew their palatka. BIEM was able to help them with an expansion project. They recently requested help to purchase 100 chairs to use in this building. About the same time, BIEM was offered 150 auditorium chairs from a church in Wisconsin. When we sent pictures of these chairs to the Forest church informing them of their availability, they were thrilled and said they would gladly accept all 150. We hope to put them on our next container shipment. The Ukrainian government recognizes church furnishings like these chairs (and many other items for church use) as humanitarian aid, so we can ship them to Ukraine duty-free. Please pray that we can find a way to get them from Wisconsin to our headquarters in Indiana.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - June 19, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. Update on our container of humanitarian aid that left BIEM on April 6: This shipment arrived safely at the Polish port. However, at this time it was not practical to have it trucked into Ukraine as hoped. Instead, the shipper arranged for the container to be placed onto a railcar and from there was sent into Ukraine by rail. Please pray that there will be snags or delays in this delivery.

2. Today, through BIEM’s War Relief Fund that many of you have contributed to, we were able to cover the cost of rebuilding the front-end suspension of a minibus that Pastor Sergii in Vysokopillia, Ukraine, uses for ministry. The roads in that part of Ukraine are particularly bad; they quickly wear out vehicle suspensions. The brethren there have painted red crosses on this white minibus since, besides church ministry, they also often use the vehicle to transport wounded victims of the frequent bombings in the area. The vehicle is also used in their ministry to the many war refugees around Vysokopillia, which is very close to the front lines. Many of you will remember Pastor Sergii from previous updates. He is the pastor whose granddaughter lost her leg when his house was bombed.

3. Pasha Usach faced a dilemma. As a Christian minister, how could he help a small town full of people living in the shadow of the war? The war had destroyed their businesses, their jobs, and rendered their fields practically unusable. To help these impoverished ones, he hit upon a simple idea... Potatoes! Watch a brief video in which Pasha shares about this ministry...

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/taters 

4. Now that June is here and our summer camps are starting, we are excited that we are now within $5,000 of our $77,000 goal for camp funds. Even before the war, we and our partner churches overseas highly valued summer camps as great tools for ministering to both unsaved and saved kids. During wartime, they are even more important since they draw hurting refugee kids whose worlds have been violently flipped upside down. If you value ministry to young souls, would you consider a donation of any size to help us reach that $77,000 goal?

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - June 12, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. Igor, a neighbor of some of our friends in Ukraine, is the commander of an elite drone force that has been defending Ukraine. A while ago, a friend of BIEM provided funds to meet a need he had for some specialized equipment. This last week Igor was on leave, which gave our folks a chance to visit with him. He was raising funds for a much-needed vehicle for his unit and was about $2,000 short. When we heard and shared about this, the same friend provided these funds. Best of all, this interaction provided more opportunities to share the Gospel with Igor. Please pray that this man would come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

2. A couple weeks ago, we shared an update about Vitaly Bilyak, how he had an amazing opportunity to accept a position for a chaplaincy role with a strategic division of the military, which will give him broad ministry opportunities. Since legal attempts to reverse his conscription had ended unsuccessfully, Vitaly accepted this invitation as God’s will. (He explained this in a video we shared on May 22.) After two weeks of intense military vetting, he has arrived at his assigned location, which cannot be shared for security reasons. I spoke with him yesterday, and he is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead to share the Gospel. He also shared that his oldest son David, who is in the US, had just gotten engaged. The wedding will be at the end of August. Vitaly’s new commander has given him leave to attend the wedding. Yet, in order to travel to the wedding, Vitaly needs to renew his US visa and prepare other documents. Please pray that he will be able to do this so that he can attend his son’s wedding.

3. For this week’s video update, BIEM church planter Anatoly Kosyanchuk wanted to express his personal appreciation to the mission and also to all of you who make this ministry possible. Thank you for upholding Anatoly and all of our missionaries overseas with your prayers and donations. Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/kosyanchuk

4. Last week we requested that you pray for an evangelistic concert that was to take place in Kyiv on the evening of June 7. We’re happy to report that the Lord greatly blessed. During the day before, volunteers from the church held a special outreach in the nearest park to meet neighbors, chat, and to pass out invitations with New Testaments. As a result, the next day a large number of locals turned out for the concert, including some people who used to come to church but had not been there in a long time. May God warm these hearts and instill a desire to draw closer to Him!

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

BIEMs of Light: July 2026

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Last month we mentioned that our Bible Institute in Central Asia needed at least $4,000 to operate through the next session. God heard our joint prayers and moved in hearts to supply funds to meet that need. May He be praised!

• As BIEM aims to ship another container of war-relief supplies to Ukraine, we thank the Lord and you friends for the many, many clothing donations we have received in recent weeks. We are also thankful for various groups who have come and donated time to sort, fold, and pack these donations!

• A Ukrainian congregation we call “the forest church” reached so many for Christ they outgrew their palatka (the light-frame meeting place). BIEM was able to help with an expansion project. About the same time the church requested help to buy chairs, a church in Wisconsin offered BIEM 150 auditorium seats. The thrilled forest church said they would accept all 150. Another praise—a Christian brother in Wisconsin volunteered to truck these chairs to BIEM for shipment! 

• One of the most-requested items from Ukrainian soldiers connected with our churches are tourniquets. These are life-saving devices every soldier should carry. Sadly, not all tourniquets are reliable. Soldiers regularly request those made in the USA. During the war, we have supplied over 1,000 high-quality tourniquets. Thanks to you donors, we recently were able to purchase 100 more!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• The first summer camps overseas have begun. Praise God, we have received most of the $77,000 goal for funding these camps in multiple countries. Will you say a prayer for the $3,000 still needed to reach our goal? Please also pray for young hearts to turn to the Lord through these summer camps.

  In Belarus, Valery Ryzhuk—the 49-year-old brother of BIEM church planter Nikolai Ryzhuk—has passed away from cancer. Because Valery greatly helped in ministry, his absence leaves a huge hole, both in the church and at home, with his wife and children. Please pray for all of them.

  Vitaly Bilyak, who was drafted into the Ukrainian army, received permission from his commanding officer to travel to the USA to be at his son’s wedding. However, Vitaly also needs a new visa and other documentation to exit Ukraine. Please pray the process goes smoothly so that he can travel.

  Our church planter Yura Levtseniuk in Lviv, Ukraine, suddenly has a heavy load of ministry. He was already in the middle of building program. Then his pregnant wife Violetta had a medical issue that put their baby’s life in danger. She’s now home, but on bedrest, so Yura must tend the house and kids. Plus, he’s supposed to minister in summer camp the first Monday in July. Please pray for all these responsibilities.

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War Relief Updates - June 5, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. During Sasha Petrenko’s many war-relief projects, he got acquainted with Mykola, the chief of the local fire department in his area of Smolyn/Goncharovsk. This week Sasha received news that Mykola has been diagnosed with a stage 4 cancer and did not have long to live. Sasha, burdened for Mykola since he was not saved, arranged to visit him. He also asked that all of our Ukrainian brethren pray for Mykola to respond to the Gospel. When Sasha met with Mykola yesterday (Thursday), God answered prayer and Mykola received the Lord. Sasha soon sent out a message to our Ukrainian brethren, thanking them for their prayers and sharing that the angels in heaven are rejoicing as another soul has come to Christ!

2. For this weekend Angelica Buyko (oldest daughter of Eugene Buyko) has organized a special evangelistic concert entitled “A Musical Evening.” On Saturday, June 6, a group of volunteers will be distributing invitations and New Testaments for this special meeting, which will take place at the Temple of Salvation Baptist church in Kyiv on Sunday evening. Recipients of invitations include many contacts in the area whom our people have become acquainted with through our war-relief distribution efforts. Please pray that God would bless this special event. You can see one of the invitations being distributed here:

3. Last month, with financial aid from BIEM, Ukrainian believers organized a special camp for mothers, widows, and children of Ukrainian men and women who died fighting to defend Ukraine from invaders. The speakers emphasized that hope is not gone, for our true hope is in the Lord. It’s just another of the many ways this campground is being used to help, uplift, and evangelize for the glory of the Lord. In this video, missionary Pasha Usach shares briefly about this moving camp.

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/ourhope

4. Yesterday we received the following video clip of a low-flying, Russian Shahed drone passing over the Petrenko’s area in Smolyn. Because it was flying so low, Ukrainian radars did not catch it, so there were no attempts to shoot it down. Thankfully, it went on its way to some other target, but as you can imagine from the video, such a sound and sight strike a lot of fear into hearts. Please continue to pray for the safety of our missionaries and workers in Ukraine.

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/smolyn-drone

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

June 2026 Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

On July 6, Russia once again bombarded Ukraine with a massive attack of missiles and drones, killing at least 26, injuring scores of others, and destroying homes. Kyiv was especially targeted. Our coworker Vitaly Yurchenko reported about 100 houses were destroyed in the vicinity of his own neighborhood. With his phone, he videoed part of the attack from his home, and we are sharing that footage here. Praise God, he and his family survived, and their home still stands.

Thank you for praying for the safety of BIEM personnel in Ukraine. Please keep praying now more than ever before since Russia has intensified its aerial barrages in Ukraine. We have a good supply of prayer reminders for Ukraine in bookmark and prayer-card form. Please let us know if you would like some for yourself or your group, and we will be glad to send them free of charge.

Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/hits

Blessings to you!

Sam & Amy Slobodian

War Relief Updates - May 29, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. In recent weeks Russia has intensified its aerial attacks on Ukraine. While these attacks have taken place all over Ukraine, the cities of Kyiv and Lviv have been hit especially hard. Since we have just returned from Ukraine—which included time spent in both cities—friends have asked how our people there are doing and what life is like during these times. Despite the increase in bombings and drone attacks, it is amazing but clearly evident that Ukrainians are dealing bravely with such attacks. As much as possible, they continue their normal activities. No doubt, Putin hopes to demoralize Ukrainians through these horrific attacks on civilians, but instead the attacks are merely strengthening the resolve of the Ukrainians. (This is like World War II, when Hitler heavily bombed England in hopes of beating the British into submission but only galvanized their determination.) The following article from the Kyiv Post does a good job of describing the current situation in Ukraine and the resilience of the Ukrainian people.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/76867

2. This week Eugene and Michael Buyko traveled to Kherson Oblast to deliver war relief to 3 different locations. One stop was a load of potatoes to be shared. A second stop included delivering funds for the repair of Pastor Andrei’s van, which was recently damaged by a drone strike. A third stop was in Nova Odessa, where we are helping the church with their bread-baking ministry, which serves many people. For this trip (as with so many similar projects) the men drove BIEM’s 15-passenger Ford diesel van with its passenger seats removed. Other examples of how this van is used include the trips to the warfront for the Bograch roadside evangelism outreaches. Shipped overseas in one of our containers in August of 2007, the 2001 van has served as a BIEM workhorse for almost 20 years and has approximately 400,000 miles. When the van experienced mechanical problems on this most recent trip, this trouble brought the age of the vehicle to our attention. The fact that our coworkers are both mechanical and resourceful has enabled this vehicle to last as long as it has. The van still has some life left in it, but we do need funds for the increasing costs of repairing and maintaining it. Eventually we will need to replace it with something newer. Please pray that the Lord will provide.

3. Another Ukrainian church with which BIEM partners is the one in Boryslav. In this week’s video, Pastor Pavel shares about how their local congregation reaches out to alleviate physical needs and to evangelize needy ones in their area, especially refugees who have fled from the fighting in the east. Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/boryslav

4. Update on children’s camps: Now that summer is nearly here, our workers in multiple countries in Eastern Europe are preparing all the Bible lessons, games, supplies, and equipment to make another year of exciting camps possible. In addition to evangelizing local kids, these Christian camps invite the children of refugees who have fled the fighting in the east. However, as donations for camps continue to arrive, our personnel in Ukraine especially have been contacting us with concerns. It seems that Russia’s war on Ukraine continues to inflate prices of food, gasoline, and other commodities. So, even though giving toward camps has reached $59,760 (praise the Lord!), our coworkers overseas are cautiously urging us to bump up the overall goal from $65,000 to $77,000 due to these escalating prices. That said, we are within $17,240 of our new goal. May the Lord move in the hearts of His people to help however they can.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - May 22, 2026

Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. Our latest container of humanitarian aid that shipped on April 6 is due to arrive in the Polish port next week. Please pray that the transfer of the container to the shipping yard and then further onto a truck that will haul it into Ukraine goes well.

2. Earlier, we mentioned that Sam Slobodian and 2 pastors from the US were departing on a trip to Ukraine. The focus of the trip was to be our Spring seminary session, but a secondary purpose was to view personally BIEM war-relief efforts taking place in various areas. We’re happy to report that all three men have now returned safely. The three wish to thank you for your prayers regarding safety, especially since the time they spent in Ukraine included some of the most intense bombings and drone attacks from Russia to date. Drones appeared near the location where the men were teaching, as well as near where they were staying. (One time while they were in downtown Kyiv, they had to join thousands of Kyiv residents in hurrying into the subway because of an air-raid siren.) Nevertheless, the seminary session proceeded uninterrupted and concluded with this year’s graduation.

4. During Sam Slobodian’s recent travels to Ukraine, the Lord granted him a chance to meet personally with Vitaly Bilyak. Many of you prayed for our church planter Vitaly after the Ukrainian military compelled him into the army. In this video Vitaly gives you the latest news on his status and his plans for ministry from this point forward. Please watch the following video to learn how the Lord has created for him a new position that will not only allow him freedom to share the Gospel but even to start a church while in the military!

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/vbupdate

4. When Sam Slobodian and the two pastors were in Lviv, they had an opportunity to visit some of the injured soldiers who have attended Yura Levtseniuk’s church. Most were amputees. One, a 21-year-old who lost a leg (among other injuries) was sporting a new prosthesis. This outreach came about after Yura and Violetta passed by a cafe and noticed a group of soldiers seated, many of them wearing leg and arm prostheses. Yura approached them, thanked them for their service and offered to pay for their tea or coffee. When they replied that they had already ordered and paid for theirs, Yura offered to buy a cake they could enjoy, too. They gladly accepted and invited Yura and Violetta to join them. This provided an opportunity for Yura to invite them to church. While they were non-committal, one of them declared, "You know what? This man is the pastor of this church!" That being the case, they changed their minds and declared, "We will come"—which they did! Please pray for the salvation of these men.

BIEM